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The Gunners were 2-1 up but suffered late agony, paving the way for their London rivals to move three points clear at the top of the table

With three results changed by late goals, this weekend's Women's Super League action produced plenty of drama and entertainment once again.

Manchester United brought Arsenal's perfect start to the season to an end with a stoppage-time winner, while West Ham broke the hearts of bottom club Leicester in similar circumstances.

Finally, Liverpool came from two goals down to get a point from Brighton, with the game's final goal coming in the 92nd minute.

So, who had a good week and who had one to forget? GOAL breaks down the chaos below…

GettyWINNER: Chelsea

After watching title rivals Arsenal lose on Saturday, Sunday was the perfect day for Chelsea.

They scored three goals and conceded none in a London derby against Tottenham, putting on a great performance at Stamford Bridge in their first appearance at the stadium this season.

They also welcomed back Emma Hayes for the match, the Blues manager back in the dugout for the first time since undergoing surgery last month, as they went three points clear of the Gunners at the top of the table.

Furthermore, with the champions scoring all three goals in the first half, it meant they were able to make a few early substitutions after the break to rest players ahead of a big midweek fixture, against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Not a bad weekend at all for Chelsea.

AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Arsenal

Arsenal's 100 per cent record in the league this season came to an end in painful fashion on Saturday evening, with Manchester United running out 3-2 winners at the Emirates thanks to Alessia Russo's stoppage-time header.

After a poor first half, in which they fell behind to an Ella Toone strike, the Gunners took the lead and looked set to see out the win. But United showed incredible character to fight back and take the three points.

It is a setback for Arsenal in their quest for the title, and their first trophy in three years. Fortunately, there is a lot of time left in the season for them to recover.

That will be the interesting thing to watch now, though, as it is the first time this season that this team has failed to win a game of football.

How they respond will be important, particularly given their next fixture is a trip to Juventus in the Champions League to face their old boss, Joe Montemurro.

GettyWINNER: Katie Zelem

Russo grabbed the headlines for her last-gasp winner on Saturday but Katie Zelem was superb in midfield and her set-piece deliveries were crucial to the result.

After helping her team to control large parts of the game, the England international whipped in a superb free-kick in the 85th minute that Millie Turner met brilliantly to thump a header off the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net.

Once the clock ticked into stoppage time, she then put in another great delivery that Russo connected with to win the game.

Her ability from these situations is deserving of a 'specialist' tag while her overall performance in a huge game will have caught the eye of Sarina Wiegman, the England coach who often picks the midfielder but doesn't give her too many minutes in games.

If she can replicate this level of display on a consistent basis, that will surely change.

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GettyLOSER: Brighton

Brighton are often portrayed as a well-drilled, defensively sound team that are difficult to break down. So far this season, we have just not seen that side of them.

On Sunday, it really hurt them, with the Seagulls leading Liverpool 3-1 as early as the 34th minute, only to concede two goals late in the second half – the equaliser in injury time – to drop two points.

Rachel Furness' 92nd-minute goal was the 26th they've conceded in the league this term in just their seventh game. It's a desperately poor record.

The club are still looking for a new coach after the legendary Hope Powell left in the wake of a humiliating 8-0 loss to Tottenham last month and things should improve once that replacement is found.

Powell's successor will look to rectify those issues at the back straight away and if that objective is achieved, Brighton can quickly put any relegation worries behind them, as the reality is, in spite of their long-held reputation, that this is a team with goals in them too.

Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni reached for the popcorn after Kylian Mbappe reportedly informed PSG about a potential summer exit.

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Mbappe set to leave PSG in the summerTchouameni had earlier denied knowing details about Mbappe's futureShares an incredible bond with the PSG forwardGetty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

On Wednesday afternoon, Tchouameni posted a tweet featuring two popcorn emojis, shortly after reports surfaced regarding Mbappe's contract situation in Paris. His cryptic tweet following the news of Mbappe's impending departure from Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season, sparked speculation that the French midfielder might have more details about the transfer with a section of fans even interpreting it as a subtle nod towards Mbappe's rumoured move to Real Madrid.

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Tchouameni has forged a close bond with Mbappe as they share the same dressing room when they are called up for national duty by France boss Didier Deschamps. Previously, he did acknowledge that Mbappe's future is a significant topic of discussion within the Real Madrid dressing room but insisted that he has not received any personal communication from Mbappe regarding his plans.

"Has Mbappe communicated to me his decision for next season? Me personally? Not really. And even if he had told me, I wouldn't have said it," he said.

"We talk about it from time to time in the dressing room, it's an important topic. We hope things calm down in the coming weeks."

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Mbappe is PSG's all-time leading goalscorers and has scored 243 goals in 290 appearances for the club in all competitions.

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Mbappe's potential departure from PSG marks another chapter in the ongoing saga surrounding one of football's most prominent transfer stories. While Liverpool and Arsenal have been linked in the past with the 25-year-old, Real Madrid appears to be the leading contender to secure his signature. As Los Blancos fans eagerly await Mbappe's decision, Tchouameni's tweet definitely adds an intriguing twist to the unfolding narrative that should have an ending in the summer.

For all the outcry, the ICC annual conference remained wedded to a 10-team World Cup looks set to go ahead in England – and the ECB’s unyielding attitude has caused resentment from Ireland and Scotland in particular

Tim Wigmore01-Jul-2015For the 95 Associate and Affiliate members of the ICC, the most significant part of the recent annual conference was what was not announced. There was no formal discussion of the format of the next two World Cups, effectively confirming that the 2019 and 2023 tournaments will be three days longer than the 2015 edition but reduced to ten teams.”The only information that I’ve had from the ‘Big Three’ was that it was extremely difficult to unpick the TV rights and to change things,” Ross McCollom, chairman of Cricket Ireland, said in reference to the takeover by India, England and Australia. The ICC’s broadcasting deal with Star Sports, agreed last October, guaranteed India nine games in the 2019 and 2023 World Cups.Scotland captain Preston Mommsen has made clear his disgust at the attitude of England who, as hosts of the 2019 tournament and a prime mover in restructuring the governing body, were critical to the ICC’s decision-making.Giles Clarke, the ECB president, is known to be a strong supporter of the move; a senior ICC source recently described him as “hell bent” on a 10-team World Cup. The ECB chose not to explain its stance.”There is anger at what I’m reading about the ECB and their input into this ICC meeting,” Mommsen said. “That’s going to make me and my Associate colleagues very angry that they’ve taken such a selfish and narrow-minded approach to the entire decision-making process. It’s very short-sighted and not good for the growth of the global game.”He added that the proximity of leading Associates to England made the possibility that none would qualify for the 2019 World Cup “a serious missed opportunity”.”I don’t think they have any right to call it a World Cup,” Mommsen said. “It’s completely regressive when you compare it to other global sports. It’s beyond belief that this is actually happening in 2015.”The idea and dream of playing in a World Cup is what inspired me to try and play for Scotland. I’m sure it was the carrot for many current and past Scottish players to play the game.”Mommsen fears that the reduction in teams for the World Cup will “significantly impact upon the younger generation. It’s going to be even more of a challenge now for Cricket Scotland to keep growing the sport.”

“A young lad now may well choose a different sport. All the other sports are expanding their World Cups and we don’t see why we should be shrinking ours”

Mommsen even suggested that “taking that to a higher body is something that I have no doubt will be looked at by the top Associate nations”. In 2011, there was talk of Associate nations challenging the original plans to make the 2015 World Cup ten teams in the Court of Arbitration for Sport, although this time there is at least the prospect of a qualifying tournament for the last two spots.His frustration is exacerbated by the performance of the Associates in the 2015 World Cup, and the support Martin Crowe, Kumar Sangakkara, Sachin Tendulkar and many others gave to their presence.”It’s probably the best tournament that Associates have had,” Mommsen said. “The ICC could actually take a lot of credit for all their hard work but instead of embracing that instead that they’ve decided to take away all the hard work.”It would be good to know the facts of why this decision has been made. Clearly money is a huge factor but that can’t be the only factor,” Mommsen said, arguing that the ICC could make far more money in the long run by displaying a more inclusive attitude. “The deal is short sighted in terms of markets that could be tapped into in the longer term. If you gave other countries the chance to a) take part and b) try and take part that opens the door.”While less withering than Mommsen, Willie Donald, the acting chief executive of Cricket Scotland, was also exasperated by the news. “If England haven’t supported wider access to the World Cup then that is unfortunate,” he said. “We share the disappointment of the other associates.”Donald suggested that there was a “bipolar situation” in the ICC, contrasting the genuine efforts made to expand cricket with “the decision to corner the market”.Niall O’Brien, who has played in all three World Cups in Ireland’s history, said that “we wouldn’t be where we are now” if Ireland hadn’t participated in the 2007 World Cup, which was a 16-team tournament. “If that’s not as possible for a young lad now they may well choose a different sport.””All the other sports are expanding their World Cups and we don’t see why we should be shrinking ours,” he said. “It’s gut-wrenching. It’s just a bit sad that potentially Ireland have played in their last World Cup.”O’Brien added that it was “very strange” that the 2019 World Cup qualifier will be in Bangladesh, while the 2023 World Cup qualifier has been awarded to Zimbabwe. “The ICC obviously don’t want a Full Member to miss out on the tournament,” he said. The previous World Cup qualifier was in New Zealand, replicating the conditions in the main tournament.But McCollom suggested that Ireland had not yet completely given up hope that the decision to contract the World Cup might be reversed.”It’s not like they’ve never changed decisions before so we’ll always live in hope that they might see the light and change their minds,” he said. “The quote that they’re trying to use is a bigger, better global game but reducing the size of the World Cup doesn’t back up what they’re saying.”While Ireland have led the opposition to previous ICC decisions, they have been comparatively less vociferous in opposing the steps taken to reduce the World Cup, reflecting their hope that the new ODI 12-team structure will lead to more fixtures.McCollom conceded that it had been “extremely frustrating” trying to secure games against Test nations but added, “there is traction happening”. It is understood that Ireland hope to host both Sri Lanka and Pakistan for two-match ODI series in 2016; they are also likely to play a triangular series with Afghanistan in Zimbabwe this October, with the same three teams playing in a tri-series in Ireland next year.Tim Anderson, the ICC’s well-respected head of global development, last week asserted that Associate cricket was “in a much better place now than say it was six or 12 months ago” despite the World Cup decision.However, it is far from clear that Associates themselves agree. “I’m not even sure we’re in an equal place – we’re in a new place and a different place,” Donald said.Tim Cutler, the chief executive of Hong Kong, was also not convinced. “With the World T20 now out to four years and the reduction in World Cup teams I would have to say the assertion that there are now more opportunities for Associates and Affiliates isn’t entirely accurate,” he said. “It’s quite a bitter pill to swallow.”Cutler also argued for cricket to strongly consider making a push for Olympic status, something staunchly opposed by England and India. “Perhaps a sixes tournament in the Olympics could be the shop window opportunity for us to showcase our great sport without compromising media deals,” he said. “Even the cynics cannot deny that the potential of national investment in new markets like China is appealing.”Based on the example of rugby sevens, the Chinese Cricket Association would expect to receive $20 million a year from the Chinese government if cricket was included in the Olympics. They currently receive only $30,000 a year from the ICC.

Ashley Giles admitted he considered his future as a coach before accepting the job of Lancashire’s new cricket director and head coach on a three-year contract.

Graham Hardcastle08-Oct-20141:41

Giles won’t promise ‘quick fix’ for Lancashire

Ashley Giles decided coaching was definitely his path during his summer in India•PA PhotosAshley Giles admitted he considered his future as a coach before accepting the job of Lancashire’s new cricket director and head coach on a three-year contract. Giles, whose last assignment as England’s limited overs coach ended in late March, takes over a county who have suffered two Championship relegations in the last three years.Giles was unveiled at a press conference at Old Trafford flanked by chairman Michael Cairns, the decision maker in this period of change for the county, chief executive Daniel Gidney and Glen Chapple, who will be his right-hand man.Chapple put his own name forward to take on the coach’s role, but instead he will work under Giles and potentially continue his playing career as a seam bowler beyond his 41st birthday in January. Chapple spent the majority of the summer in charge of first-team affairs both as a coach and captain following the departure of Peter Moores to England in April. Mike Watkinson vacated his role as cricket director earlier this week.With Chapple concentrating on his coaching commitments and only playing when needed, that means one of Giles’s first tasks is to appoint a new captain. Current vice captain and opening batsman Paul Horton is the early frontrunner.”I considered not coming back into coaching, I wouldn’t be ashamed of admitting that,” Giles said, having made his Test debut at Old Trafford in 1998. “But I love working with teams. It is a really good place to be.”I’ve been lucky that the timing has been right. Being out of the game for a few months was healthy. I spent time with the family reflecting on my experiences with England. I was away in India doing some media stuff, and that experience reinforced my desire to get back into coaching. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy that experience, but I love improving players.”My conversation with Michael Cairns and Daniel Gidney happened over the last week or so, and as soon as I started talking to them, to be talking to a club with the history and size of this, it was a fantastic opportunity.”It’s clearly been a difficult six months since Pete left. Chappie has done a fantastic job to do three roles this summer. It gives us a platform to build from. In my discussions, it’s been very much not about a quick fix. I’m sure everyone wants to hear me say we’ll be straight back in Division One, and I hope we are. Most importantly, it’s about building something that is sustainable and is going to be successful over a long period, and that does take time.”Giles also admitted that “I’m over it” with regards to his two years in charge of England’s limited overs teams: “I’m not stupid enough to think we always get what we want and there’s always a fairytale ending.”There will be a lot I’ve learnt from England, about managing players in particular. Managing players at that level is different to managing players at county level. Of course the whole media attention and bubble surrounding international cricket is slightly different, and you get slightly less time to do things you might want to do. It’s also a great environment, and there are a lot of good people there. But it didn’t work out.”A decision will be taken much closer to the start of next season as to how much, if any, cricket Chapple plays. “The position I’ve been offered here, I see as a very challenging one and probably just the right thing for me at this stage.” Chapple said. His official title has yet to be confirmed. “The option of carrying on playing means I don’t just have to say ‘that’s it’. As it stands, I’m very happy.”

Their unpredictability remains a big weapon as an inexperienced Pakistan side look to reclaim their second World Cup title on the same shores where they won in 1992

Umar Farooq03-Feb-2015A lot has happened in the 23 years since Pakistan lifted their first and only World Cup trophy, also in Australia. In one of the game’s biggest scandals, a British court convicted three Pakistan cricketers for spot-fixing. The country has been isolated from hosting major international cricket after a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009. During the 2007 World Cup, their coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in a hotel room in Jamaica. The Pakistan board has had 15 chairmen in last three decades and, for the last year, has been tangled in court cases over its president. The board’s constitution has been rewritten several times. Yet Pakistan cricket continues to breathe, survive, and endure. Every awful incident is followed by a comeback that resonates with the rest of the cricket world.The current Pakistan team is not blessed with cricketers of the calibre of Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad or Inzamam-ul-Haq. Most of this team is made up of young developing players. Given their inexperience, they may look like one of the World Cup’s weakest frontline teams. But Pakistan’s unpredictability – their defining trait over decades – means that the opposition will not underestimate them.Saeed Ajmal’s withdrawal from the World Cup squad, to work on his bowling action after he was suspended in September, was a big blow to the side and that was compounded by Mohammad Hafeez’s suspension due to an illegal action. Hafeez will have his action officially re-tested on February 6 and the PCB hopes that he will be cleared in time for the tournament.Pakistan have had some success in their search for part-time spinners to fill the gap left by Ajmal and Hafeez, but given the conditions, their pace battery remains their biggest strength. The loss of Junaid Khan to injury, however, has depleted an attack that also includes Mohammad Irfan and Wahab Riaz. Pakistan’s chances will depend more on how their batsmen fare. Most members of the team have not played any international cricket in Australia. Pakistan can be expected to move past the group stage but given the inexperience, the knockouts will be tougher.ESPNcricinfo LtdYounis Khan was nowhere close to a spot in the ODI squad until six months back, but has made a place in the World Cup team after an exceptional Test run-feast against Australia and New Zealand in the UAE. His selection has prompted much debate but in an inexperienced line-up, the seasoned campaigner can be seen as a mainstay in the middle order. Apart from Misbah and Afridi, this World Cup could well be his last.World Cup pedigreeWith plenty of talent at their disposal, Pakistan were consistent semi-finalists between 1979 and 1987, before winning the tournament in 1992. Their record since then has been inconsistent. They were weak finalists in 1999 and faded fast in 2003. The 2007 World Cup was Pakistan’s most forgettable – their coach Bob Woolmer died in mysterious circumstances a few hours after Pakistan’s shock defeat at the hands of Ireland had sent them out of the World Cup. In 2011, with the shadow of the spot-fixing scandal still lurking, they made it to the final four.X-FactorMisbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s 40-year-old captain, will be one of the oldest players in the tournament. He has the capacity to steer Pakistan out of storms into passages of calm. An undisputed giant of modern cricket, Misbah would want to inspire his young team and given his patience and ability to build an innings, he could be the prime target for every opponent. Players in focusShahid Afridi
Despite an eventful 18-year-career, Shahid Afridi revealed in September that he still wanted to record cricket’s fastest ODI fifty. His selection for the 2015 World Cup has not been an automatic one with questions over inconsistency recently but his reputation as a big-game match-winner still lingers. The tournament will mark the end of a tumultuous ODI career and Afridi wants to sign off on a high.Umar Akmal
Umar Akmal is an important cog in Pakistan’s batting and one of their most valuable finds since fast bowler Mohammad Amir burst on to the scene. In 2011, he finished the tournament as the second-highest run scorer for his team (240 runs at an average of 48) and he could well dominate this tournament. A flamboyant batsman who is unafraid to chase big totals, he also gives his side a vital mid-innings kick when batting first.Mohammad Irfan
The world’s tallest fast bowler at seven feet one inch, Irfan requires gentle handling. By his own team, that is. In the last two years, his brittle body has broken down on various occasions, but his ability to recover and return stronger indicates both will and appetite. Irfan is capable of rattling any batting line-up with the ability to mix steepling bounce with discomfiting speed.Game styleFact box

Previous World Cups
1975: Group stage
1979: Semi-final
1983: Semi-final
1987: Semi-final
1992: Winners
1996: Quarter-final
1999: Finalists
2003: Group stage
2007: Group stage
2011: Semi-final
Squad
Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Ehsan Adil, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Irfan, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Sohaib Maqsood, Sohail Khan, Umar Akmal, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Younis Khan.
Fixtures
February 15 – v India, Adelaide
February 21 – v West Indies, Christchurch
March 1 – v Zimbabwe, Brisbane
March 4 – v UAE, Napier
March 7 – v South Africa, Auckland
March 15 – v Ireland, Adelaide

While Pakistan are known for their belligerent batsmen like Afridi and Akmal, Misbah’s captaincy seeks to draw a line between aggression and recklessness. With an in-form Misbah, Pakistan could bring a far smoother and methodical approach to their game. “I would rather win a game with a defensive approach rather than losing it by being aggressive,” Misbah has often said.PredictionPakistan are capable of being the most astonishing and the most infuriating team in the space of two games. The pace and bounce of Australian pitches, as well as their inexperienced batting line-up, may lead some to worry. Yet, Pakistan’s ambitious, young batsmen can form a heady blend. A semi-final slot would be handsome reward. Then, unpredictable is as unpredictable does.World Cup stats Shahid Afridi, the only cricketer in this team who debuted in the 1990s, will be playing his fifth World Cup. He was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the previous edition with 21 wickets at 12.85. Javed Miandad played in six World Cups from 1975 to 1996, the most by a Pakistan player. He is also the highest run-scorer for Pakistan in the tournament with 1083 runs, followed by Saeed Anwar (915) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (717).If they were an actorSean Penn: Unpredictable, capable of swagger and bluster, and, on his day, can nab the big prize.Theme song”Out of control” – Rolling Stones

Alastair Cook’s exploratory first outing in a new helmet ended after five balls but that was the worst of the impermanence from Essex

Alan Gardner at Hove18-Apr-2016
ScorecardAlastair Cook trudges off after making 1 from five balls in his first innings with his ECB-approved new helmet•Getty ImagesAlastair Cook’s exploratory first outing in a new helmet ended after five balls but that was the worst of the impermanence from an Essex side doggedly battling to prove their credentials as Division Two promotion challengers at Hove. Cook scored just 1 in his first innings wearing ECB-approved headgear and spent most of the day ensconced in the changing rooms, barring a quick rendezvous with a familiar face in the shape of England’s assistant coach, Paul Farbrace.Cook seems resigned to the fact he will have to get used to a helmet with a fixed grille, with England hopeful that he can make the required adjustments before the start of the Test summer next month. While the ECB has been quietly urging Cook to come into line with new safety regulations, the prospect of England’s captain suffering a dip in form over the issue – he made a century for Essex batting in his old England helmet last week – may cause some disquiet at Lord’s.As well as coming to terms with a narrower window in which to sight the ball, there is also the matter of modified helmets weighing more than the old style. Some have pointed out that picking up a delivery early, and therefore being better able to avoid being hit, is as important as physical protection when it comes to batsman safety.Cook is an old-fashioned batsman in more ways than one – although with 24,000 runs to his name in senior cricket perhaps that is unsurprising – and Michael Atherton, another former England captain and opener, has suggested he should be allowed to make the decision for himself.No opener likes to be out in the third over and Cook concealed his emotions pretty well after falling to his first ball from Steve Magoffin, but it was not hard to imagine a fresh blast of salty sea air accompanying his return to the changing rooms. Still, as Essex’s batting coach, Anthony McGrath, pragmatically put it: “As an opener against the new ball you’re going to get a few low scores.”Cook would surely have preferred not to be facing a bowler as metronomically exacting outside off stump as Magoffin for this unwanted trial. Having survived four deliveries from Ollie Robinson from the Sea End, he was dismissed pushing at one in the channel, a thick edge flying low to second slip. The lid stayed firmly on for the slow walk back, although some wag hollering “Wrong helmet!” from the deckchairs probably did not help his equilibrium. Not since David Beckham was pictured in a sarong has there been so much attention on what an England player is wearing.There was far less focus on Essex’s No. 3, though Tom Westley ought to have caught the eye of Farbrace, huddled on a bench at the Cromwell Road End. Westley looked in good touch, having scored a century in Essex’s opening-round win over Gloucestershire and another in the university match at Fenners, and it was something of a surprise when he mistimed a pull against Danny Briggs and gave a simple catch to midwicket.Nevertheless, Westley’s 86 meant he now has 397 first-class runs this season, the most in the country, and he provided the Essex innings with its ballast. He might have been run out on 31, had Robinson’s throw been more accurate, and an edge flashed over the slips for four from the final ball before lunch but his class was otherwise evident. A high front elbow that bore the menace of a shark fin in shallow waters accompanied one straight drive off Robinson, while on another occasion he dealt with George Garton’s pace with the sort of dismissive pull reminiscent of Cook.Garton, 19 years of age and whippy of left-arm action, was not so easily shrugged off by the rest of Essex’s batsmen. Ravi Bopara gloved behind during his first spell and he returned later in the day to strike Ryan ten Doeschate a blow on the arm that necessitated a short delay for treatment from the physio. He also removed James Foster, who played on while hanging back in his crease, and did enough to suggest that Sussex’s pace reserves are not as thin as some have feared.Briggs, meanwhile, enjoyed the sort of extended workout he switched south-coast allegiances for, a 22-over spell of stately twirling and gentle entreaties to the umpire. Briggs looks like he would be an excellent maître d, upright and dexterous, with a suitably enigmatic smile; it would not be a surprise to hear he applies a squirt of L’Air de Panache – as favoured by Monsieur Gustave in – during intervals.He was, however, twice clubbed down the ground for six from consecutive balls by ten Doeschate, an unceremonious attempt by the Essex captain to rally his side from 219 for 7, with the floodlights shining down and a chill wind whipping in from the sea; the slow bowler’s equivalent of being told the cutlery is dirty and needs to be replaced.

Barcelona loanee Ansu Fati had to be replaced in the first half of Brighton's clash with Nottingham Forest after picking up an injury.

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Fati lasts just 21 minutes at City GroundReplaced by Joao PedriJoins lengthy list of injured players at BrightonWHAT HAPPENED?

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi named Ansu Fati in his starting line-up against Nottingham Forest but saw the loanee forced off after just 21 minutes of the game at the City Ground. Fati picked up an injury and signalled to the bench that he could not continue. Joao Pedro came on to replace the 21-year-old attacker.

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The news is a worrying development for Fati as he has been plagued by injury after breaking onto the scene with Barcelona as a 16-year-old back in 2019. A serious knee problem forced Fati to go under the knife and onto the sidelines for the long term and was followed by a succession of muscle problems that saw his career stall. Fati opted to move to Brighton on loan in the summer in a bid to gain regular game time and will be praying his latest setback is not serious.

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Fati's replacement Pedro went on to score against Forest along with Evan Ferguson to put Brighton in front after conceding an early goal to Anthony Elanga. The goals mean that Brighton are the first side to both score and concede in 17 consecutive top-flight games since Manchester United in 1959-60 (also 17 in a row).

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BRIGHTON?

De Zerbi will be sweating on Fati's fitness and that of Tariq Lamptey who was also forced off with an injury. The Brighton boss is in the midst of an injury crisis with Danny Welbeck, Pervis Estupinan, Solly March, Karou Mitoma, James Milner and Julio Enciso also sidelined currently.

Former USWNT star Sydney Leroux scored an outrageous bicycle kick for Angel City FC as they booked their place in the 2023 NWSL play-offs.

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Los Angeles-based side picked up big winFive different scorers on the dayWill now face Rapinoe & OL ReignWHAT HAPPENED?

The Los Angeles-based outfit never looked to be in any danger of missing out on the post-season, despite leaving it until the final day of regular season action before confirming that their campaign will be extended by at least one more game.

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Angel City proved far too strong for the Portland Thorns as they eased to a 5-1 victory on home soil. The Californian outfit saw five different players get on the scoresheet, with ex-United States international Leroux registering the pick of their goals in a comprehensive success.

DID YOU KNOW?

Angel City were already three goals to the good when they pushed for a fourth in the 51st minute. An opportunity appeared to have passed them by when a drilled cross from the right was parried up into the air by Portland goalkeeper Bella Bixby, but Leroux proceeded to produce a moment of magic as she looped a spectacular overhead kick into the back of the net.

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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Leroux and Angel City FC will now face OL Reign in the NWSL play-offs, with Megan Rapinoe set to figure in that contest having prolonged her own distinguished career by ensuring that retirement plans are put on hold for a few more days.

Cristiano Ronaldo posted his mood on Instagram ahead of Al-Nassr's AFC Champions League second leg against Saudi rivals.

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Ronaldo relaxed ahead of crunch tieAl-Nassr in AFC Champions League actionAl-Feiha stand in the wayWHAT HAPPENED?

A clearly relaxed Ronaldo captioned his post 'good vibes' two days before Al-Nassr are due to face fellow Saudi Arabian club Al-Feiha in the last 16 of Asia's Champions League this week.

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Ronaldo and Co. hold a slender 1-0 aggregate advantage from the away first leg last week and will be confident of progressing now they are at home for the second. Al-Feiha are not one of Saudi Arabia's traditional giants and finished 11th out of 16 teams in the domestic league last season, having been in the second tier as recently as 2021. But they enjoyed a remarkable run to win the 2021/22 edition of the King's Cup to qualify for the 2023/24 AFC Champions League and then made it through the group stage despite being a struggling team in the Saudi Pro League.

DID YOU KNOW?

Al-Hilal (1991, 2000, 2019, 2021) and Al-Ittihad (2004, 2005) are the only Saudi Arabian teams to have been crowned club champions of Asia. Al-Nassr are yet to win the competition, best finishing as runners-up in 1995 when they were losing finalists to Ilhwa Chunma, now known as Seongnam FC, of South Korea.

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getty imagesWHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO & AL-NASSR?

With a 39-year-old Ronaldo spearheading the team by scoring 30 goals in 31 games across all competitions, Al-Nassr are targeting trophies on multiple fronts this season. They won't believe that a seven-point gap to Al-Hilal is too big to close in the Saudi Pro League title race when there are 14 games left, while they are also into the semi-finals of the King's Cup, as well as looking good to progress to the last eight of the Champions League.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has said the Pakistan team had the “worst fitness levels” in the world, and hinted at changes after the ongoing Bangladesh tour

Umar Farooq in Mirpur07-May-2015PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has said the Pakistan team had the “worst fitness levels” in the world, and that only Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan meet the minimum standard in the country. He added that there will not be any immediate remedial steps as fitness culture has to be developed over time.”None of our first-class teams measure up to the minimum domestic standard of fitness, which makes it difficult to select a national team. These things have to be addressed over time, and it cannot be done overnight. Our fitness levels are not up to the international standards. We have to take drastic steps now because we don’t have a culture of fitness and this has to be installed.”After landing in Dhaka on Wednesday, he gave a 10-minute speech to the Pakistan team, hinting at changes after the ongoing series against Bangladesh, and was also critical of their performance so far in the local media.”I have come here to witness the last Test and give my support personally to the team,” he said. “There is disappointment at the result of this tour but I was not surprised because Bangladesh have shown steady improvement over the last few years and cannot be taken lightly anymore.”There are concerns back home with regard to Pakistan’s performance, and I will talk to the coaches, manager and captain to find out the reasons for our unsuccessful tour. But I am not here to take immediate action. We have decided that we will sit down and assess the situation after the tour to see what is to be done with the team and the strategy.”Shaharyar was particularly disappointed with the gulf in the levels of fitness between Pakistan and the other teams. “I think the problem is very deep, our fitness levels are very poor. We are only at grade 10 while teams like Australia and South Africa are at grade 14. You can see the difference in Bangladesh [too], they are fit. Our minimum level of fitness is only met by Misbah and Younis. None of the others meet this level, which is unacceptable.”Pakistan have had a disastrous tour. They were blanked 3-0 in the ODIs and slipped from No. 7 in the rankings to No. 9. Improvement will be necessary to qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017. Then they lost the T20 and were on the receiving end of a record-breaking batting performance from Bangladesh in the first Test.”We are not pressing the panic button just yet,” Shaharyar said. “We have lost here and lost it badly, but to a very good Bangladesh team. They are doing very well and playing with a lot of spirit as was evident from the way they recovered from a 300-run deficit in the previous Test in Khulna.”But we will abide by our earlier decision and assess what changes are to be made, both in the short run and the long term. A short-run alteration would mean changing the captain and the selection committee, but I don’t think that is the answer. Tinkering with the team will not make much of a difference. We are looking at remedial actions that will address the issues in the long run.”Shaharyar further said that both Pakistan and Bangladesh are determined to improve their ties in future. “We had a problem in the past as they were supposed to come to Pakistan in 2012 but they had their reasons,” he said. “We want to continue building ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh regularly. I know BCB want to reciprocate by coming to us later on, after two years, but meanwhile they are sending the women’s team and we are happy with that”